Jay Pritzker Pavilion 7:45-9 p.m. 75 Years of Billy Branch Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues with Kenny Nealand and Ronnie Baker Brooks As a harmonica player, singer and bandleader, Billy Branch has been an essential part of the Chicago blues community for decades. And as a devoted educator, he has been a crucial messenger of the music to audiences and students around the world. He picked up a harmonica at the age of 10 and immersed himself in the city’s blues scene during t

Friday June 6, 2025 the Full Schedule of the Chicago Blues Festival features Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Eddie Cotton, John Primer and many others!

PANEL DISCUSSION 20 Years of the Mississippi Blues Trail–Fireside Chat with Mayor John Horhn, Scott Barretta, Bill Mc Pherson, Dr. Edgar Smith, and Jim O’Neal Moderated by Yolonda Clay-Moore,Visit Jackson 6-7 p.m.The Mississippi Blues Trail has been an invaluable guide to finding the people and places that shaped the music in this state and which, in turn, influenced the world. This panel will discuss its origins and impact. The experts include Jackson, Miss., Mayor John Horh